


Not a Rent Boy's Story

by Jassanja



Series: Rent Boy Universe [1]
Category: As the World Turns
Genre: AU, Canon Gay Character, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-01
Updated: 2010-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-10 08:23:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jassanja/pseuds/Jassanja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke Snyder is not a Rent Boy! He accepts a peculiar proposition anyway as it allows him to spend some more time with a certain neurosurgeon</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU that sets in after what happened in Dallas

"There's a Doctor Oliver here to see you!" The secretary's voice came over the intercom, and Luke's pulse sped up. He couldn't imagine that there would be a reason for Reid to show up at his office at the Foundation unless there was something wrong with Noah.

"Let him in!"

Reid was uncharacteristically dressed up, as he stepped into Luke's office. Suit and tie for the man who would meet the Board of Directors in scrubs if Luke and Bob would just let him.  
It also seemed that the usually cool and controlled doctor was nervous, as Luke kept noticing Reid fumbling with his hands as if unsure what to do with them.   
Something was off.

"Reid, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Luke asked, indicating for the other man to sit down.

"Mr. Sny…," he caught the look Luke gave him across the desk. "Luke," Reid paused and shifted in his chair. "I am here to ask for a favour, I need your help… again!"

Luke waved a hand, signalling him to continue.

"I would like to ask you to come to Boston with me, next week."

Luke sighed. "Who's threatening to have your licence revoked this time and what did you do?"

"No one!" Reid said hastily, looking indignant.

Luke held up his hands in a calming gesture. "Then why Boston?" he asked

"Because a week from now something far worse then a hearing by a Medical Board is going to happen over there," Reid took a deep breath and shuddered. "My brother's wedding!"

Luke laughed.

"That's not funny Mr. Snyder!"

Luke hunched his shoulders and smiled apologetically.  
"While I can see that a social situation like that must be hell for you, I don't quite see where I come into play at this."

"I'd like you to come with me as my boyfriend!"

"Excuse me? Come again?" Luke's eyes were as big as saucers, his eyebrows up at his hairline.

"You heard me, don't make me say it again!" Reid said impatiently.

"But why?" Luke asked.

"My family is driven by the desire to be something special, something impressive, to brag!" Reid took a look at Luke's astound face before he continued. "They pretty much want to earn the status that you were born into, even knowing that they will never get it, not even close. But that doesn't stop them from making everyone's life miserable in the meanwhile"  
Reid rolled his eyes.  
"Of course they love the fact that I am a genius and am considered one of the best neurosurgeons in the country, if not in the world, and never tire of telling all of their acquaintances just that, in the hope that having a son like that will help them to gain a better standing in the world."

"Now I see where you got your behaviour from," Luke said teasingly after listening to Reid's rant about his family.

"Yes, Mr. Snyder, it's in my genes to be an arrogant, bragging bastard. Together with my intelligence and my skill, not to mention my good looks, it's a lethal combination."

Luke laughed out loud. "I get it, you never had a chance to turn out normal with a family like this. It still doesn't explain why you need a boyfriend and why that has to be me."

"Because to my family good and brilliant isn't good enough." Reid said, rolling his eyes again. "What good is a genius-doctor-son when he doesn't have it all, and by all we're talking about a trophy wife, two children, a house, a dog, a goldfish. As you know I don't even drive a car that would be worth mentioning with the A-list of people, not even the kind of A-list that really only is a C-List but feels like A-List when they talk to people like my parents."

"So I shall pretend to be said trophy wife?" Luke asked, scowling.

"Don't be stupid!" Reid said without thinking. "I just need you to play my boyfriend. I hope that would help to ward off the half dozen stupid but pretty young women my parents undoubtedly want to introduce me to."

"Don't they know that you're gay?"

"Of course they know. They just choose to ignore it, still thinking it's a phase I will grow out of eventually"

"That's…" Luke was lost for words.

"Exactly!" Reid simply agreed. Then after a short moment continued, "actually I think that's not even the worst. They have hinted before that I should just get that trophy wife anyway, after all, lots of gay men have wives and children, right?"

"Comparing you to all those closet cases? That's disgusting, never mind disrespectful to all those women." Luke made a face, remembering how hurt his grandmother had been after the whole Brian fiasco.

"That is why I need your help, Luke!" Reid said intensely, looking Luke right in the eye. "I want to drive the point home that I am not going to be their pawn in this game of showing off. But I can only do that if I bring a guy along."

Luke leaned back in his high chair and grinned like the cat that got the canary.  
"Let's say I agree," he said, "what's in it for me?"

"I could pay you" Reid said, but was interrupted by Luke's laughter.

"Richie Rich, remember?"

"Yes, of course I remember! That is why I said that I could, repeat, could pay you if that would help. As it stands all I can offer is the pleasure of watching me squirm while dealing with my family. Also it would help Noah if I wouldn't get arrested for killing my parents or one of the ladies they invited."

Luke was laughing once again at the image of that, ignoring Reid's pained expression, but he sobered up before asking another question.

"Why are you asking me? If you have the money to pay for company why don't you hire a professional escort?"

"There are a couple of reasons. Most importantly is that you are agreeable company. As proven in Dallas we can spend a couple of days together without killing each other. No such guarantee with an escort, and then we would be back at the point of me getting arrested.  
Also, I could end up with a guy just as pretty as you , Mr. Snyder, but as stupid as a rock. Not only would that annoy me to no end, but it would also send the wrong message to my family.  
They should realize that I am serious about the gay thing, not that I lowered my standards"

Luke nodded along as he listened to Reid's explanation. The man made sense, but then he usually did, and Luke liked that Reid had sought him out on purpose, admitting that he liked to spend time with Luke, even called him pretty.  
"Fine!" he finally said. "I will do it, if only for the amusement factor"

They smiled at each other over Luke's desk, then Reid stood up and held out his hand and Luke didn't hesitate to grasp it,

"As always, a pleasure to do business with you, Mr. Snyder"


	2. Chapter 2

The hotel in Boston was upper scale, and as they checked in Luke wondered if it was still tradition in a city like Boston for the parents of the bride to pay for the wedding and all that went with it, and if so, how much this wedding was going to cost.

Luke had managed to kind of forget the reason why he was here in the first place, but it came back in a rush when he realized that he was about to share a room with Reid.

His face must have given him away as he looked over the queen sized bed in the center of their simple but elegant room.

"Having second thoughts, Mr. Snyder?" Reid asked, as he opened one of his multiple suitcases and pulled out what suspiciously looked like a pillow.

"We probably could get a second room for you, if you are afraid for your virtue!" Reid continued as he next pulled out a couple of sheets. "We could always say that you snore too loud even for me to ignore, and I am not usually known as someone who has problems sleeping in a loud environment"

"Why are you bringing along your own bedding?" Luke asked, ignoring Reid's challenging smirk. "This isn't some backpackers hostel, they provide blankets and sheets here"

"Blankets and pillows and sheets that have come into contact with all kinds of other people and bodily fluids before"

"Thanks for that lovely image, I will never be able to sleep in a hotel bed again without my skin crawling"

"Then aren't you happy that I brought you a spare pillow along?" Reid tossed it at Luke over the bed.

"No wonder you needed three more suitcases for this little trip then I did," Luke said as he started to unpack his own cloths. "Oh, and by the way, I don't snore!"

"Don't they all say that? I guess we will find out later tonight if you do or don't. And don't worry, I will not hold back the truth tomorrow morning, and will never let you live it down should you indeed snore!"

"Speaking of telling stories," Luke quickly changed the subject, "how did we meet?"

"You kidnapped me to perform surgery on Mr. Mayer. How could you already forget that?"

"Very funny, Reid. I meant what do we tell your family about how we came across each other?"

"I don't think they will care enough to ask," Reid said, "but if it makes you feel more comfortable to have a story to fall back on, then how about this: We meet when I came to your little one-horse town to perform a miracle. Once I did your hospitals Chief-of-Staff asked me on his knees to stay because I am the only capable doctor the town has ever seen, but I only agreed to stay once I took a deep, deep look into your thankful blue eyes"

"My eyes aren't blue!" Luke said frowning.

"I know. It's called taking creative liberties," Reid said, as he finished redoing the bedding. „Aren't you a writer or something like that? You should know about stuff like that."

Luke laughed. "And it isn't the only instance of creative liberty in your story. You have yet to operate on Noah, and you also managed to leave out the blackmail, the kidnapping, and your arrest and forced stay in Oakdale. So basically everything that makes you look less then perfect."

"I don't know if the blackmail and kidnapping doesn't make you look worse than me, but I admit it would make for a better story. The problem is that I am sure that if we mention any of that then my family will corner you during this festive event and try to find out what you had on me to manage the blackmail."

"So you worry that they would hurt me?" Luke asked, a hiding a smile by refolding a shirt. He couldn't help but feel happy at the idea of Reid being worried for his safety.

"No," Reid answered without pause. "They would love to have dirt on me themselves. If they could get anything like that out of you that would drive the celebration this weekend to new heights. So they would only hurt you if they found out that you have little to nothing on me"

"Nice family you have there," Luke retorted, eyebrows raised.

"Just wait till you meet them in person." Reid looked at his watch. "And since that will be in twenty minutes, why don't you get you ass in the bathroom and change into one of your designer suits?"

*****

It was twenty-one minutes later when they stood in front of the hotel bar and Reid offered Luke his arm.  
With a dramatic sigh Luke linked his arm with Reid's and whispered "Showtime!" before they stepped into the bar to meet Reid's family.  
Judging by the scowl on the face of the well-primed older lady Luke suspected that Reid's mother either didn't like to see him on her son's arm or that they were sixty seconds late.  
Considering what he had heard about the Oliver family so far it was probably both.

"Reid, so glad to you could take time out of your busy schedule to show up to something so unimportant as your brother's wedding!" Mrs. Oliver greeted her elder son, and Luke realized that casual insults must be a family treat.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Reid shoot back at his mother. "What is saving a life or five compared to throwing rice and eating over-priced cake?"

Luke flinched at the tone, that was hostile even for Reid. The other man immediately put a calming hand on the small of Luke's back, the warmth of the touch seeping through the layers of clothing.   
Luke got the signal. Stay calm, nothing unexpected happening here.

While the welcome between mother and son was hostile, the handshake between Reid and his father was merely cold.

It wasn't until Reid exchanged a half-hug with his brother that Luke stopped wondering why Reid agreed to come to this wedding anyway.  
The brothers actually smiled at each other and Reid's "¨Congratulations," sounded honest.  
Then Reid nudged up his charm a few bars and Luke had to hide his amusement by biting his lip as Reid kissed the hand of his future sister-in-law. "Isabella! It's a pleasure to be here and see that you finally have my brother chained down."

"Don't say it to early, Reid, Daniel still has over 24 hours to bolt."

"I'm here to make sure that won't happen," Reid reassured her.

Reid then turned back and smiled at Luke, pulling him closer by putting his arm back around his waist.  
"Everyone," he claimed the attention of his family although he never lost it, "may I introduce my boyfriend", he put a shaper tone on that one word, "Luke Snyder!"

*******

 

Later that night Luke managed to change into his pyjamas pants and a T-Shirt and slip into bed while Reid was taking a shower.

Obviously the other man had less problems with modesty as he showed no sign of discomfort as to being seen by Luke in nothing more than some well worn burgundy sweatpants when he returned to the main room

Luke realized that we was staring at Reid's naked chest as the man stepped to the bed and hastily averted his eyes by looking out the dark window.

"That went well," Reid said, stretching out next to Luke, pulling the blanket up to his waist.

Luke laughed. "You call that well?"

"For my family, yes, it went very well!"

"Your mother looked like she had bitten into a lime from the moment you uttered the word `boyfriend´ till `good night´!"

"She hates that word! Especially coming from me"

"That's most likely the reason why you used it."

"You bet!" Reid was laughing now as well. "I wouldn't use it normally, as I prefer `partner´ myself, but knowing what ´boyfriend` does to my mother…"

"You pull all the stops here, don't you?"

"I told you Luke, I'm here to show my family that they better enjoy this wedding because it will be the only one. Not the set-up for mine."

"Aren't you afraid to spoil your brothers wedding with that behavior?" Luke inquired with piqued interest.

"You've seen my brother and his bride," Reid said, "they have no problem with me or with me bringing you here." Reid turned on his side and looked directly at Luke. "To be honest it was their idea that I bring someone along, after Isabella overheard my mother wanting to invite some of the women who will be here for the wedding just for the sake of setting me up with one of them"

"And here I was wondering why you took three days off just to get insulted."

"I'm here protecting my future and my sanity. Guess that is worth staying three days away from an OR." Reid reached out , gently touching Luke's arm, "thanks for coming along, Luke. It means a lot to me"

Luke smiled back at him, "no problem, good night!"

Reid turned his back to Luke and turned the light off.


	3. Chapter 3

Luke woke up and turned over, his body pressing up to the one next to him. He threw his arm over the other man's waist and buried his face in the back of his neck.

It felt good and he had missed waking up like this. His body remembered similar mornings as well, and without thought or effort pressed forward, rubbing his erection against the globes of the firm ass.

Suddenly Luke's eyes flew open and he all but catapulted himself back as if burned.

He wasn't at home, wasn't in his bed, wasn't laying next to Noah.

He was in Boston, in a hotel, molesting Reid Oliver.

Luke's racing heart calmed a bit as he saw that the doctor was still sound asleep, snoring slightly, and hadn't registered Luke's inappropriate approach.

Luke took a deep breath and kicked the blanket back. Hastily he got up and fumbled for some cloths in his suitcase before heading for the bathroom.  
He dismissed the idea of a cold shower right away. It was still early and there was no hurry. His company was still asleep and Luke could be silent if he had to be. He could get rid of that boner in a more languid and pleasurable way.

He let the hot water soak his neck and back muscles, letting the stiffness from sleep seep out before he reached for his shower gel and lathered himself up.

He closed his eyes and let memories of better times flash in front of him as his hand settled around his cock. Noah's slippery body rubbing up against his own, hands gliding everywhere. Noah in front of him, on his knees, Luke's come splattered over his shoulder and chest before the water was turned back on to wash it all away.  
Luke bit his lips to stifle his groans as he came.

Dried and dressed he returned to the main room where Reid was still sleeping.  
Luke grinned and reached for the menu from room-service. He sat down besides Reid and lightly pushed at the other man's shoulder.

"Time to get up"

Reid only groaned and turned over

"Come on, Dr. Oliver, it's another beautiful day to piss off your parents."

"Go away!"

Reid stuffed the pillow over his head and Luke couldn't help but giggle.

"Not a morning person, I see. Well, looks like I will have to eat breakfast all by myself then"

Reid's head resurfaced at that.

"Breakfast you say? That changes things, I can get up for breakfast!" Reid rubbed his eyes and his already messy curls while he sat up.

"Good to hear that you have priorities," Luke said as he watched him. "What will you have then? Pancakes, French toast or omelets?"

"All of it!" Reid said. "And coffee, lots of coffee!"

Luke picked up the phone and ordered. When he was done he turned just in time to see Reid vanish into the bathroom.

That short moment was enough to draw Luke's gaze down to the elegant, naked back and further to a spectacular view of Reid's ass in those thinly worn, low riding pants.  
Luke immediately regretted not remembering how that ass had felt pressed up to him less then an hour ago.

***

Exactly at 10 o'clock there was a knock on their door.

Angela Oliver had come to remind Reid that he had to undergo his last minute fitting for the special white tuxedos for the ceremony the next day

Unfortunately she also came to jibe Luke's presence some more

"Mr. Snyder will you go along to the fitting with my son? If that's too boring you could come with me and the girls. One of the bridesmaids fell down the stairs last week and broke a couple of bones. Since you're now a member of the family perhaps you want to fill in? I'm sure we could get that dress adjusted for you just in time"

"Mother!"

"Oh, Mrs. Oliver, what a wonderful idea you had there, I feel honoured," Luke positively beamed at her, ignoring an outraged Reid behind him ,"but I fear I have to pass. I've only known Isabella for a day, it would just not feel right to invade on her party. I'm sure there will be another friend of hers who will look just as good in that dress then I would."

Mrs. Oliver took a sharp breath then stormed out the door. Behind Luke Reid chuckled.

"I didn't know you could dish out such underhanded sarcasm," Reid said as they stepped out the room together.

"If anyone asks, you're rubbing off on me, darling!"

Reid laughed at Luke's kissy-face.

 

***

 

Soon enough Reid was no longer in any laughing mood, but rather loosing his patience with the assistant putting pins into his too long sleeves.

"Watch it, these hands save lives, don't amputate them by accident!"

Luke, who was sprawled out in a comfy chair opposite the dressing stalls, shook his head in amusement

"I guess we should feel really lucky you don't plan to have a wedding of your own, Reid. You'd make a formidable bridezilla."

"I wouldn't make any bride, and what kind of word is ´bridezilla` anyway?" Without waiting for an answer he strode off to catch his reflection in the mirror.

Luke got up and followed Reid into the cabin, watching as the other man fumbled with his bow-tie.

"You know, white tuxedos could have gone really wrong, but thankfully you look quite dashing in it. It fits you even better then those scrubs you're so fond of." Luke gave Reid an intense once over before he gently removed Reid's hands and took over the task of binding the bow-tie.  
"Makes me almost regret not taking up that offer about joining the bridesmaids, but I look really horrible in a pink dress."

"I hear the dresses are purple!" Reid said.

"Really? Why didn't you say so sooner? Purple is totally my color!"

"Do you really wear dresses in your spare time, Mr. Snyder?" Reid looked at Luke with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course, all the time!" Luke said without thinking. "Oh, wait, not like that!" he hastily added as he saw Reid's shocked face," but I play dress up with my younger siblings. My sister Natalie likes to put me in those hideous old dresses of Grandma Emma and put bows and ribbons in my hair, then smear lipstick and eye shadow she nicked from our mother all over my face."

"So you make a pretty girl?"

"Oh yes! As long as you don't mind the chest hair peaking out the cleavage"

"You don't have any picture of this on you by any chance?" Reid joked.

"No, but I can tell you that I even learned how to walk in heels. I'm almost as good at it as I am at tying ties." He gave the bow-tie around Reid's neck a final tug. "I'm a real chameleon"

They had come to stand impossibly close, and Luke felt a little faint in the sudden heat. He steadied himself by putting both his hands on Reid's shoulders.

Reid's hand came up and cradled the back of Luke's head. His voice was husky

"I know, I promised that I wouldn't kiss you again unless you wanted me to, but …"

Before Luke could fully register the words he felt the smooth press of Reid's lips on his.  
Unlike in Dallas Luke came back to his senses faster, and managed to return the kiss before Reid could break it. Luke eagerly opened his lips, hoping for a first brush of tongue…

"Reid, I came to ask….. Whoa!"

Luke saw Isabella's teenage cousin Peter standing in front of the cabin open mouthed as he flinched back from Reid and the kiss.

"So you really are gay? I thought aunt Dora was just spewing out groundless gossip about Daniel's family when she mentioned you"

"Yes, Mr. Johnson, we really are gay!" Reid sighed. "And you have really bad timing!"


	4. Chapter 4

As they had to find out during lunch, Isabella's family indeed liked to gossip

"…and then they served those hors d'oeuvre and we only found out weeks later that they didn't come from a Michelin Star Chef because one of the maids slipped up when talking to our butler and told him that the family cook had made them herself, from canned goods of all things"

Angela Oliver as well as Isabella's mother broke out in cackling laugher at this story told by Fiona Johnson, Peter's mother

Luke didn't even need to look up from his plate to see that Reid was multitasking by rolling his eyes and shuffling lunch into his mouth at the same time.

"Mr. Snyder … may I call you Luke?" Dora Johnson was now directing her attention towards Luke

He smiled at her over the table.

"Please do!"

"So, Luke, Angela tells me that you work for a Holiday Cruise Company?"

"Oh no, Mrs. Johnson, Grimaldi Shipping only dabbles a little in the pleasure business. We mainly operate in international freight"

"How interesting!" She concentrated on picking up a piece of asparagus on her fork, before moving on. "Your quite young, shouldn't you still be in college?"

"I decided some years ago to take a different career path"

"Becoming a dock hand at a shipyard," Angela Oliver grumbled.

"Did you know that in the old time prostitutes worked at the docks as well? Of course they didn't call themselves prostitutes back then." Fiona Johnson chimed in, trying to get the attention from the table at large.

„Are you hinting that I can't afford more than a dock hooker?" Reid asked. His outburst had no problem achieving the deed Fiona Johnson had tried for. Luke put his hand on Reid's arm and smiled at everyone.

"I can assure you, that I am not a dock hand at Grimaldi Shipping. I have a nice office in the administration building. I met Reid while he was in town to consult a good friend of mine, that's how we - literally - ran into each other in a hospital corridor. So, no, we didn't first come across each other in the dark at the wharf while looking for ... ehm … agreeable company."

Luke could see Daniel quietly laughing at the other end of the table, obviously impressed by the way Luke had outmanoeuvred the catty elder women as well as his brother's lacking social skills.

"How nice for you guys! A hospital romance, like in all those books and movies I enjoyed when I was younger!" Dora Johnson pushed her still half-full plate from her.

"I can see how a nice young man like you can be quite impressed by someone like Reid over here," her sister kept going. "From what I see he's quite handsome, charming," Reid snorted at that, but Mrs. Johnson continued as if she hadn't heard, "and very talented at what he does. But, Luke, wouldn't you be better off with some young man of your own age? Someone who relates better to you? Who shares your desire to enjoy a carefree life for a bit before settling down?"

Reid threw his cutlery onto his empty plate where it landed with loud clatter.  
"Translation: Luke keep your hands off this man who makes a good living as a doctor. Get yourself another sugar-daddy that isn't related to us!"

The three elder women tried to look outraged but Luke could easily see that Reid had called them out, and he wasn' finished yet.

"Don't worry, ladies, I'm in no danger of being played. You see, Luke's family owns seven eights of the small town we live in. Over there everyone actually worries that this quite handsome, not so charming but still brilliant neurosurgeon is trying to enrich himself by snaring the golden boy of Oakdale's first family in his bed."

Reid reached out and pulled Luke to himself, pointedly kissing him on the lips for everyone to see.  
"You see, Luke comes from the kind of old money you all would like to come from. They just eat the Michelin Star food, having learned from childhood on that it is low class to first brag about it."

By the time Reid was finished talking he had once again gained the attention of the whole table.

"Oh dear, Dora," Fiona Johnson, who's whispers to her sister were too loud in the sudden silence, said, "be thankful your daughter fell for the right brother!"

"Yeah, Dora, be thankful your daughter fell for the nice, straight one, not his rude, gay brother! That would really had been a scandal!" Reid mocked.

He ignored the embarrassed coughing from his father, who was sitting on his other side, and looked around the restaurant.

"Now, who do I have to insult next to get some chocolate cake?"

 

***

 

"You want another soda?" Reid asked, indicating towards Luke's almost empty glass.

"No, I'm fine!" Luke said and leaned back against the wall, watching as Reid made his way across the crowded bar to get another beer for himself.

The Bachelor Party was in full swing and Luke was quite surprised at the turn out. It looked like a lot of guests had arrived in the past few hours and were now amusing themselves at the open bar.  
Luke couldn't help but wonder how many of them were really friends of the happy couple, and who was just invited to see and be seen.  
He had attended many a wedding in Oakdale, but there he had known most people milling around, and their political or personal reasons for showing up.

As Luke was pondering if it was better to spend such a party as an anonymous face among the masses like he did today or as a group of lifelong friends like he usually did, he was approached by a young woman.

"Hey there, you're with the groom's family?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess so!" Luke answered, holding out his hand. "I'm Luke"

"Holly! My mother is a friend of Isabella's fathers second cousin."

"Big family"

"Yep, and usually not on talking terms from what I gather, but you know, days like this…"

"You don't have to explain to me, if I know something, it's complicated family dynamics"

They shared knowing smiles

"You wanna dance? I like this song"

Luke looked over into the direction of the bar. No sign of Reid.

"Sure, why not, as long as you don't mind to stay around here."

"No problem!" Holly said as she took Luke's offered hand. "Dancefloor's overcrowded anyway!"

They took a couple of steps away from the wall and fell easily enough into the rhythm of the upbeat pop song that was droning out of the bar's speakers.

Soon enough the song changed and adapting to the slower tune Luke pulled Holly in a closer embrace.

"Isn't Isabella having a party for the women?" Luke asked searching or an easy conversation topic.

"As far as I know only some dinner with her bridesmaids. She has seven of them, did you know?"

"No, I didn't"

"The Bachelor Party is more fun anyway. More booze, and it's always fun to pretend to be outraged because of the stripper later on"

"There's gonna be a stripper?" Luke asked

"Well, duh, wouldn't be much of a bachelor party without one"

"Guess as a small town boy I believed that was a Hollywood myth"

Luke glanced over Holly's shoulder as he saw Reid returning. He put his drink on the table, then looked around until he met Luke's eyes. With a small gesture he indicated for Luke to continue doing what he was doing.

After another minute of silent dancing Luke and Holly started talking again.

"Since you're with the family of the groom, is there any chance that you know his brother?"

"For a fact, yes, I do," Luke bit his lip, having an idea as to where this was going.

"Could you point him out to me if you see him? My mother wants me to talk to him tomorrow. Says she heard from Isabella's mother that he would be a good catch. A dentist or something like that"

Luke grinned at her. "Or something like that, yeah!"

"Problem is," Holly said in a more confidential tone, "I also heard that he's a bit older. Almost forty or so. I really want to check him out before I have to flirt with him, just to get used to the idea, in case he has a comb-over and a beer belly"

Luke almost hollered with laughter as he tried to imagine this.

"He doesn't look that bad," he finally told Holly, looking over her shoulder once more at the subject of their talk, without giving Reid away.

"Anyway, that's my mission for tomorrow," Holly said. "I have other plans for tonight."

"Such as?" Luke wondered

"Lots of available guys around who want mind a little fun" she said with a wink, "one of the other reasons why bachelor parties are fun!"

"Just so we're in the clear, I'm not one of those available guys!"

"I gathered as much!" Holly gave him a brilliant smile. "I guess your girlfriend or wife is either at the boring girls dinner or somewhere around here ready to jump me with jealous rage if I claim you for much longer."

"Don't worry. My date has already spotted us and seems amused about us dancing together. I wouldn't even be surprised if he's relived that I haven't dragged him on the dance floor"

"Ha!" Holly almost yelled out. "I knew it! No girlfriend or wife at all!"

Luke chuckled. "So you played me to see if your feeling was right?"

"Totally! I always say that somewhere out there some poor guy is not getting laid because by accident I got his gaydar." She sobered up. "You're lucky, you know, nobody annoys you to get married already before you turn into an old maiden or your biological clock has run out, just so you can make your family proud and pop out some grandchildren for them to gush over. But anyway, that boyfriend of yours, is he a good catch?"

Luke briefly thought about it.

"Yeah, you could say that he is, even if he isn't a dentist"

***

"Making new friends, Mr. Snyder?" Reid asked when Luke returned to their table.

"Always!"

"Any danger that you may run away with this young lady in a change of heart?" Reid casually took a sip from his beer.

"I was under the believe that we are searching a wife for you, not me, Reid"

"We most certainly are not!"

"Doesn't mean we can't entertain charming young ladies when they ask for a dance"

"Maybe you can, but I can't!"

"Maybe you won't!"

Reid nodded at that and lifted his glass back to his lips

"Then you should be doubly as grateful to have me here," Luke teased

"How so?"

"Not only am I your decoy boyfriend, turns out I am also your spy"

Luke grinned as he saw Reid looking confused.

"My dancing partner is one of your suitors"

"She?" Reid groaned. "She's nothing more than a child."

"Come on Reid, she's my age"

"My point exactly!"

"Well, then it won't bother you that she's worried about your age too. Didn't seem so keen on getting it on with someone so old and ugly like she heard you were."

"Good that not everyone her age seems to think so!" Reid said, giving Luke a meaningful look.

Before Luke could answer to that Daniel and some of his friends interrupted to come and drag them over to the VIP area of the bar.

"You guys can't hang out here at the back," one of Daniel's friends, Rob or something like that, was claiming. Luke could tell that the guy was already quite drunk as he grabbed him by he hand.

"Yeah," Daniel, who was equally drunk, agreed. "You gays are known to be able to party hard, so no standing by the wall, we need some party animals in the group!"

"Don't you just love stereotypes?" Reid asked no one in particular as he was dragged along too


	5. Chapter 5

There were three deep leather couches arranged in a half circle in the VIP area, but their group was too large to seat them all comfortably, so after some pushing and shuffling Luke ended up sitting on Reid's lap.

"Relax, I got you!" Reid's lips were brushing along Luke's ear, his arm coming around his waist, a warm hand resting on his thigh. Reassured Luke stopped shifting around uncomfortably and leaned back against Reid's chest  
.  
Someone handed them another round of drinks, hard stuff, not beer this time.

"Not for me," Luke waved it off when someone tried to shove a glass in his hand. "I don't drink"

"Such a good boy, Mr. Snyder"

"Nah, just learned my lesson the hard way"

"Sounds like an interesting story you have to share there"

"Yeah, but another time, Reid, not now!"

"Suit yourself"

Reid sent one of Daniel's friends to fetch Luke some soda.

"See, I can entertain too!" Reid mumbled, his lips close to Luke's ear again.

Luke laughed sheepishly. "Ordering others around to fetch drinks for your boy-toy? Isn't that more the thing I would do to show off my silver-spoon upbringing?"

"Usually, but right now, you're my toy, as you put it yourself. And I get to show you off!"

"Well, well, well, Doctor Oliver, I may not be a genius like you but I sense that you are getting drunk"

"You may be onto something there, Mr. Snyder, even if you're not a genius like me"

"Oh the many faces you have. Now I get to see them all, who would have ever thought that possible?"

"Oi, you two whispering love birds over there," Rob was calling from his place on the couch opposite them. "Get a room!"

"We already have a room, Mr. Whatever-your-name-is," Reid shot back, "and don't fear, we intend to make full use of it later!"

There was some laughter as well as some gagging sounds coming from the various men around.

"Ohhh, Reid, now you made your boyfriend blush!" Daniel pointed out.

Luke could feel anyone's eyes on him, but couldn't think of a way to gracefully avoid the stares.  
Reid's hand lifted from his leg and Luke could feel that the other man was helping him shift to a position that had him turned more sideways. Luke accepted the silent offer to bury his face in the crook of Reid's neck, and Reid's other arm came up, his fingers sliding into Luke's hair.

"You okay?"

"Yeah!" Luke said, taking a deep breath that flooded his senses with Reid's scent. He could feel goose-bumps breaking out down his back. "Things are just getting a bit more intense then I anticipated"

"You want us to leave, Luke?"

"No, just give me a couple of moments, and I will be fine!"

Luke tried to shut all the noise around him out for a few breaths, and finally managed to do so when he started to concentrate on Reid's fingers, still gently caressing his hair.

A couple of minutes later Luke was able to rejoin the easy and light-hearted conversation around him, but he stayed half sideways turned on Reid's lap, moving one hand around the other mans shoulder, now being the one to absent mindedly play with strands of curls on Reid's nape.

***

About an hour later a big paper-cake was rolled in front of their area

"Here we go! " Reid softly groaned as a teasing music set in loudly, and the blond, big breasted stripper jumped out.

Luke giggled, unsure if it was the idea of the stripper or Reid's annoyed reaction that amused him more.

"Awww, Reid, don't tell my you're afraid of the big bad naked girl!" he teased, trying not to directly scream into Reid's ear, but still be loud enough to be heard over the music

"Very funny, Mr. Snyder" Reid half-screamed back. "It's not the naked woman that's the problem, it's how everyone here reacts to her"

Luke took a look around at the other men in their company and what he saw made him agree with Reid. Rob, Daniel, and the others cheered and stared like they had never seen a scantily dressed woman before.  
Only young Peter, who probably had reason to go a little crazy at the prospect was acting different, actually looking uncomfortable at the show he more or less was forced to witness.

"Whoa, look at those tits! She really knows how to shake those!" Rob yelled out.

"Well, yes" Reid yelled back, "it's an interesting demonstration of the art!"

"So you enjoy watching strippers after all?"

"No," Reid was slightly annoyed. "I wasn't talking about the art of professionally undressing, but about plastic surgery"

"What?" Daniel slurred without taking his eyes of the gal now smearing some gooey stuff over her breasts.

"I hope whoever paid for the entertainment didn't pay too much. How old is she supposed to be?"

"Twenty-three!" one of the guys answered

"Yeah, you have been cheated. This young lady is at least ten years older. Also had quite some work done, and not good one at that. The scars from her multiple surgeries for the breast implants are pretty visible even in this bad light."

"Oh come on, those are real"

"If you want to think so… but don't tell me you really think those lips are natural as well, or I would advise you to get your eyes checked"

"Ok, ok, her lips had a little work done, but that was it all"

"Is it?" Luke asked Reid quietly.

"Of course not, there was also at least a tummy tuck. I admit, I am not sure about the nose but…"

"Strippers! You just never get your moneys worth" Luke sighed dramatically

"You sound like you have experience"

"Why.. not like … no, " Luke spluttered, "of course I don't have experience. Why would I? You know I don't care about women"

Reid laughed

"Oh Mr. Snyder. I shouldn't have forgotten that you are a citizen of Oakhell. All those upper-class manners make it so easy to forget that deep down you are a farm boy."  
Reid leaned in very close, and Luke would have sworn that Reid deliberately gave his earlobe a small nip before he spoke again. "Let me tell you a secret Luke. In the big cities, and perhaps other places with more then a hundred residents, there are male strippers as well"

Luke turned his attention back to the stripper who was now teasing her audience with attempting to take her thong off. Not that Luke was really interested in that, he just hoped to avoid having Reid see how he had blushed again.  
"I know…, I just didn't think…"

"Seems to happen a lot with you"

The Stripper fell back into her cake, and tossed the last piece of her clothing out of it, before the monstrosity was rolled back out the bar again.

Another round of drinks was brought to their group, and the discussion circled back to the qualities of the stripper.

"So, Reid, Luke," Peter asked at long last, still trying to shake off his embarrassment. "Did the naked women make you guys feel uncomfortable"

Luke shrugged. "Not really. It was just a naked woman, nothing special!"

"Nothing special, right!" Peter tried to reassure himself

"Nothing wrong with liking that" Rob pointed out to the young man. "Those two are the freaks here"

"I'd like to differ" Reid said. "we're not freaks, we're just different"

"You guys sure we shouldn't call her back, pay her a little extra and see if she can set the two of you straight - pun intended"

"Believe it or not, Robbie-boy, I don't think either Luke nor I want to be set straight, now won't we?" The last was clearly directed at Luke, but before he could answer he felt Reid's hand at the back of his neck, tugging hard to bring their mouths together.

This wasn't a kiss like any of the others Reid had lain on him during the day so far, or like the one in Dallas. This one was harder, more demanding, and Luke was literally gasping for breath, a circumstance Reid shamelessly used to shove his tongue into Luke's mouth with force.

A bit shocked, Luke wasn't quite sure if he wanted to fight the kiss, or give into it, but then he felt Reid's hand creep up under his shirt. His resolve melted as he felt those long fingers expertly stroke over his belly and up to tease one of his nipples to hardness

Luke sank back against Reid's torso, and shifted his butt to balance out his new position. A shock ran through him as he came into contact with what could only be Reid's more than just half-hard cock.

He couldn't help but grind back against it

"What are you doing to me, Luke?" Reid asked hotly into his ear

"Nothing you're not doing to me too!" Luke answered, still feeling one of Reid's hand on his chest, while he noticed the other going up his thigh, closer and closer to Luke's own hard-on

"Is that so?" Reid didn't wait for an answer this time, just pressed his mouth to Luke's neck, sinking his teeth into the tender flesh.

Luke moaned, hazy with desire, as he felt Reid softly kissing the same spot he had just abused.

"I want to be alone with you!" Reid's words were intensified by the hard squeeze he gave Luke's cock through his pants.

"Then let's leave!" Luke agreed

***

 

Luke couldn't get to their room fast enough. He needed to get his hands on Reid properly. Needed to get him out of his cloths, needed to feel nothing but Reid's skin…

Finally they were back in their room, behind closed doors, alone

Blind with lust Luke grabbed for whatever part of Reid he could reach. Cupping Reid's ass in a hard grip, that made Reid gasp surprise, hastily popping open the button fly on Reid's jeans, shoving his hand inside, getting frustrated when the still tucked in tails of Reid's shirt got in the way…

Reid's thumb was rubbing over Luke's bottom lip and Luke sucked it hungrily into his mouth, playfully biting down on it.

Finally, finally, finally he got his hand around Reid's bare cock, squeezing the hot, hard, throbbing length.

Luke moaned then whimpered as he felt both of Reid's hands pushing him squarely on the chest, hard.

With a yelp Luke landed heavily on his ass on the bed. Without thinking he let himself fall back fully, bracing himself against the impact of Reid's weight, of the man's body slamming against his own.

The attack never came.

Luke tried to register what was happening. He sat up, breathing hard, and opened the eyes he couldn't remember closing.

Reid was leaning against the far wall, panting just as heavy, looking positively disheveled. His shirt half open, the head of his cock peaking out of the top of his jeans.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked confused.

"We should not be doing this!" Reid said, avoiding eye contact

"Why not? You seemed to like it just as much as I did"

"That isn't the point"

"Then what is'?"

"I asked you to come here with me, and pretend to be my boyfriend. Our deal did clearly not include having sex"

"We don't have a contract written in stone. We don't have any written contract at all. And I don't remember any spoken agreement either about the no sex part"

"Don't laugh this off Luke." Reid said, rubbing his hand over his sweaty forehead. "I forgot myself tonight, drank a bit too much, and got carried away with the act. You should have stopped me long ago."

"Stopped what? It isn't such a bad idea to get your mother off your back by having me here as your boyfriend."

"I don't mean that. That is still an idea I fully stand behind. No, what you should have done was stopping me from groping you inappropriately for most of the night"

Luke let himself fall back onto the mattress with a groan, then changed his mind, and sat back up

"You're an idiot, Reid! Do you really think I would have let you touch me if I hadn't wanted your hands on me?"

"You could have hardly slapped me then and there without our little charade being blown"

"Yeah, but I could have politely asked you in the same private way we talked most of tonight"

It was Reid who groaned this time

"I'm sorry, Luke, I'm not making sense, I'm still drunk"

"That's obvious. The rational Doctor Oliver I know would laugh at your silly reasoning for not sleeping with me right now"

"What about Noah?"

"Don't change the subject. This has nothing to do with Noah. Right now, I have no connection to Noah other then being a caring friend. "

"We still shouldn't do anything we can't take back." Reid fumbled in the closet for his sweatpants and vanished into the bathroom without another word

Frustrated Luke got up too, grabbing his own night-cloths, but then decided differently.   
He was still horny as hell, and if Reid decided to be difficult, well, he could be high and mighty all he wanted, but Luke would not give up without a fight.

Luke undressed and slipped naked under the cover, waiting for Reid, who came back a few moments later.

Once Reid was in bed beside him Luke pressed up to him, let him feel his still hard cock.

He could feel Reid pressing back for an instant, then Reid hastily tried to get out of bed again.

Luke had been anticipating this and held Reid back with a firm grip around his waist and chest.

"Stay!" he murmured against Reid's naked shoulder before biting down on it slightly.

He could feel goose-bumps under his lips, and a shiver running through Reid's body under his hands

"Luke, we really shouldn't!'" Reid tried to reason, weakly

"Shhhh…." Luke's hands were stocking Reid's chest, his quivering belly.

"We don't have to go all the way. I just want to touch you"

Luke slipped his hand past Reid's waistband and pressed is flat palm against Reid's cock.

After a moments pause Reid sighed and turned so they were face to face

"You're going to be the death of me, Luke!"

Then his lips were on Luke's again. The kiss started out slow but heated up fast.  
Luke managed to push Reid's sweats off somewhere along the way and their cocks came to rub along each other.  
Their rhythm picked up speed as they fanatically grabbed for whatever they could reach of each other, their mouths never parting.

Luke felt heady with desire, with need. Reid didn't feel like Noah, reacted so different to each touch, each kiss, and was driving Luke insane in new ways.

Luke didn't know how long it took, but it sure didn't seem long enough.

Luke's senses were on overdrive and everything slowed down as he took in how Reid came against him.  
The taste of Reid's sweat and spit on Luke's lips, his moist breath against Luke's skin, his helpless groans in Luke's ear, his shuddering muscles under Luke's hands.

Just as suddenly as everything had slowed down, Luke's world spun in into fast-forward as his cock was coated in Reid's spunk, intensifying the friction, and it was Luke's turn to pant, moan, shudder and spill himself in Reid's embrace, against Reid's body


	6. Chapter 6

Reid had already left the room when Luke woke up the next morning.  
Luke wasn't sure if he was relived that they were able to avoid an embarrassing morning after situation or if it would be a bigger problem that they would start interacting that day amidst Reid's family and the other wedding guests as if nothing unusual had happened between them.

Two hours later Luke made his way down for the pre-wedding brunch.  
The dining hall was already filled with guests but a waiter indicated to him that the immediate family of bride and groom were at a table in the far back.

As he go closer to the table in question he could spot Reid, Daniel and their father David just coming back from the buffet.  
They reached the table at about the same time, and Luke sat down next to Reid.

"Awake already?" Reid asked. "I thought you would sleep right up to the ceremony, so you could dance through the whole night afterwards."

Luke smiled and reached out to rake his fingers through Reid's hair.

"Can you really be mad at me for sleeping like a baby after that party last night?"

"I wish I could say the same," Reid dryly answered. "Unfortunately I was woken early. Someone was snoring loudly."

"I don't sno…," Luke didn't get further as Reid shoved half a croissant into his open mouth

"oh, Reid sharing his food, it must be real love!" Daniel pointed out.

"Well, they sure squabble like an old married couple," Isabella chimed in.

Luke got up, muttered something about getting a plate of his own, and walked away, hoping that they hadn't noticed him going as red as the tomatoes in their salad.

 

When Luke returned from the buffet he found his seat occupied by a woman in her late twenties.  
Her bleached blonde hair was in stiff curls, her overbite a bit too obvious. She was laughing loudly as she told Reid some story, her hand gesturing wildly  
Luke sat down the only empty chair on the far end of the table.

"… but Reid, that must be so interesting!" the blonde was fawning. "All those ideas you can see when you look into peoples brains!"

Luke dug into his side of melon, avoiding looking at Reid, knowing that he would embarrass them all if he looked at Reid's "does-this-bint-even-know-what-a-brain-is?" expression

"Well, Miss Jones…."

"I told you to call me Bella"

"Well, Bella, we can't see thoughts as such. Our technology hasn't gotten quite that advanced yet."

"But soon it must, they tell so on TV all the time. Isn't that going to be great, then people can never lie to you again"

Reid didn't answer to that, just shoved more eggs into his mouth

"You know, Reid, Bella works for a designer store" his mother helpfully supplied

"Louis Vuitton!" Bella proudly pointed out

"What do they produce? Clothing for little doggies?" Reid was asking, clearly playing dumb.

"No, Reid, handbags, mostly, " Luke offered.

For the first time, Bella actually took her eyes off Reid and looked at Luke. She gave him a smile that looked more like a sneer.

"Who are you?" she asked. "You're not a member of the family"

"Oh, Luke's just a friend of Reid's from Illinois" Mrs. Oliver said before Luke could answer for himself.

"A special friend!" Daniel added

"My partner" Reid said at the same time.

"Oh," Bella said, her expression softening a little. "So you are a doctor too?"

Reid didn't even try to be discreet when he slapped his palm against his forehead, but the woman didn't notice

"No, I'm not a doctor," Luke said, starting to find amusement in in the bad play he was dragged in. "I'm involved with some of the financial details for the hospital unit Reid is going to oversee"

"Oh," Bella said, loosing all interest in Luke immediately.

"I hardly have use for handbags," Reid said, getting back to their prior topic, indulging Bella in the believe that this was all about her.

"We have purses for men too", she said, then continued ,"although it's mostly those faggots who buy them"

Reid put down the mini-sandwich he had just been about to take a bite off

"Bella, you realize, that you just used a highly offensive word there?" he asked the woman.

"Like anyone cares!" she flipped him off. "Everyone uses it"

"There could be affected people in earshot"

She looked around their table as well as the one next to them

"Oh, I don't think so, I can't spot one of those girly men around. Would have surprised me anyway. There are no such perverts in good families, and even if, they wouldn't be invited to a formal occasion."  
She sipped her tea, not noticing that the table had gone silent around her.

David Oliver decided in that moment to get up and grab for the salt shaker that was in front of Bella. As he reached out he accidentally pushed his coffee cup over.  
The hot liquid spilled over Bella's light blue dress within the second, making her jump up with a scream.

"Oh, you idiot!" Angela Oliver chided her husband. "You clumsy oaf, it's embarrassing to be seen with you in company, you can't even drink coffee without making a mess!"

She grabbed for some napkins and helped Bella clean up the worst.  
"Come, dear, let's see what we can do for you to get you pretty again." Angela took Bella by the arm and left the dining hall with her.

As soon as they were outside Reid got up from the table as well.

"Those sandwiches are surprisingly good for their minimalist size. I think I need to get some more. Can I bring you another coffee as well, dad?"

Once Reid had left the table Daniel leaned over to Isabella and Luke.   
"You know, this must have been the first time in twenty years that Reid has called our father dad"

***

" I can't believe it!" Reid said as they were back in their room, getting dressed for the ceremony. "One of them was flirting with you"

"Only once she learned that I was the richest person at the table"

"Make that the whole hotel"

Luke ignored Reid's jibe, in the favour of styling his hair.

"She was flirting with you right in front of me" Reid couldn't let the subject go.

"Of all the things you could find revolting about the whole situation we ended up in, you can't get over the fact that one of those women, who by the way all seem to be under similar pressure from their families as you are, is interested in my money?"

"Let's pretend for a moment that I would have asked my mother to find me a wife, parade all those women in front of me, then it would have been down right rude of her to just fling herself at my business partner right in front of me and my family"

"Let's pretend that would have been the case, then you would have been happy not to get stuck with a wife even rudder then you. Also, you would do anything you could to help your business partner to get rid of a gold-digger like that. Perhaps by pretending that you're gay, and his boyfriend. Oh, you really can't tie a bow-tie, can't you?"

Once again Luke untangled Reid's hands from the silky stripe of cloth to take over the task

".. and damn the day I get so accustomed to them that I learned to do it. " Reid mumbled

"There we go!" Luke said, all finished. "You're all prim and proper now, and all you have to do is try to remember smiling for the pictures"

"Not if I can help it," Reid said. "Okay then, let's get this silly wedding behind us"


	7. Chapter 7

"Wasn't this just beautiful?"

Luke looked up to find Holly once again in front of him

"Yes, it sure ranks in the top ten of weddings I ever attended." Luke said

"You remember why I am here? The groom's brother? You were right, he doesn't look so bad for his age. Perhaps there's hope that this won't suck"

As if on cue Reid came over to join them.

"We're finally done with the pictures and the congratulations. Who would have believed that this would ever happen?" he sighed and dropped in the chair next to Luke.

Luke noted how Holly had gone rigid beside him, and put on an overly toothy grin. He decided that it was time to put the poor girl out of her misery.

"Reid, this is Holly ...ehm"

"Magnus, Holly Magnus"

"Right, Holly Magnus!"

Reid gave the girl a short wave in acknowledgement, while downing a glass of water.

"Holly, this is Reid Oliver," Luke put an arm around Reid's waist and pecked him on the cheek, "my boyfriend!"

Holly gaped for a moment, then broke out in hollering laugher that got their little group some disapproving stares from the people on the next table.

"You little bastard!" Holly stabbed Luke in the chest with her finger. "You played me. You totally played me."

"Just a little payback, sorry," Luke said, joining her laughter. Reid just looked a them and smirked

"Of course he's your boyfriend," Holly finally managed. "All the good guys are always gay, or taken." She looked from one to the other, "or as in this case gay and taken!"

"Sorry?" Luke said again, sheepishly

"Don't mention it!" Holly looked around. "I think I will now need a big piece of that wedding cake to get over that shock."

Reid got up from his chair and indicated a bow towards her. "That Miss Magnus is a statement I can fully get behind. Let me go and get it for you"

Reid returned with three plates, two of them laden with two pieces each.

"Oi, what's with me?" Luke asked as he got the one plate with only a single slice.

"Miss Magnus and I need two pieces." Reid said in his best doctor voice. "She just suffered from major shock and as the best man in this nightmare I have the right to two pieces as well. You on the other hand need to keep in shape! I can't be seen with a guy that has love-handles"

It was a good thing that Holly decided to stay with them for the rest of the evening. Aside from being fun company her presence also helped to keep Mrs. Oliver from bringing over the other suitors.

"So guys," Holly asked some time later, "what's the proper way to seat a gay couple at a formal event? Who do you put in the ladies spot on the right side?"

"Are you asking who's top and who's bottom, Miss Magnus?" Reid asked, while Luke wished he could do something about blushing every five minutes in Reid's presence, as it was getting embarrassing.

"Oh, I have better manners than that," Holly said, and actually reached out to pinch Luke's cheek. "No, the question was serious. Do you just let them choose for themselves or do you go by who's taller or who's older as "the man"?"

Like on command Luke and Reid looked at each other and noted that it was Luke sitting to the right.

"Looks like we seated ourselves by age" Reid pointed out.

***

Before Reid could dig into his sixth slice of cake his mother showed up after all, but thankfully alone.  
She smiled happily at Holly and leaned over Reid's shoulder.

"So why don't you and your date dance for a bit?" she tried to encourage him, before waltzing off herself with a man from some rich family or another.

"Well, Miss Magnus, you heard my mother. I have to dance, so you'll have to excuse us." Reid got up and held his hand out to Luke. "May I, Mr. Snyder?"

Luke positively beamed as he took the offered hand. "My pleasure, Doctor Oliver"

Luke let himself be lead to the dance-floor and slipped his arms around Reid's neck.

It took them a while to fall into a comfortable rhythm.

"Remember, Mr. Snyder, right now you're 'the girl` so be nice and let me lead"

"It isn't my fault I have finally found something you aren't a genius at, and can't help myself but trying to lead," Luke answered. "It would make things easier if you just let me"

Reid smirked. "Perhaps later, Mr. Snyder, perhaps later!"

They struggled through two songs, mostly just swaying on the spot, looking into each others eyes. Their smiles became right out giggles during the third song, in a shared silent joke. Before the song came to an end Reid pulled Luke's head closer and kissed him sweetly.

It was their first real kiss that day, since what had happened between them the night before, and Luke knew that while the kiss was shared in public it was not one to prove anything to anyone. This kiss was just for them, just because they felt like kissing.

The happiness wasn't allowed to flow through them for long afterwards.  
Only moments after they sat back down at their table Reid's mother showed up. Looking unhappy, very unhappy.

"Why did you do that?" she asked sharply

"I could point out that you asked me to dance with my date!" Reid tried to calm her down.

"You choose to misunderstand me on purpose, young man. You know that you were supposed to dance with Miss Magnus not your …. your … twink!" She spat the last word out with disgust, like she was disgusted to even know word, let alone having to use it

"Like it or not, mother, but Luke is my date!" Reid was getting louder now as well, "and no matter how many more girls you parade in front of me, he's the only one I am interested in"

"Why do you have to make this so complicated on all of us? I'm sure, if you only tried harder, tried to like on of those sweet girls, get to know her better it could work out. You could have a family, Reid, you could be happy!"

"I wouldn't be happy. How could I be? If I got a wife, it would only make one person happy: you! You could finally tell all your important 'friends` that your gay son finally came around."

Before his mother could say anything in return Reid had gotten up and stormed out.

Luke wanted to follow but a hand on his shoulder held him back.

"Give him some time to cool down!" David Oliver advised him, and used his grip to steer Luke into a calm corner.

"I hope we haven't made the worst impression on you," he told Luke as they came to sit down on a staircase. "My wife is really worried for Reid, you must know. Unfortunately Angela has problems showing her feelings. Reid has gotten that from her"

"I noticed!" Luke said, smiling.

"I guess he also blames me for not keeping my wife more in check, especially when the boys were younger. I just never had the strength to fight her all the time, no matter how much I love her or our boys. You'll do better with Reid, I can already tell"

"How can you be so sure of that, Mr. Oliver?" Luke asked, taken aback

"Call me David." David smiled at Luke with the same askew smile Luke liked so much on Reid. "And I know because there were a couple of incidents in the past days that would have lead to big blow-ups between Angela and Reid in the past, but this time hardly anything happened, mostly because you were there, calming Reid down with just a word or touch. I've never seen anyone have so much influence and power over my son like you have"

"I haven't noticed," Luke said honestly

"Yes, I guess it must still have been quite an intense experience for you, not knowing how bad it sometimes was in the past." David looked at his watch "I think it's save for you now to go and take care of my son."

***

When Luke returned to their room he found Reid on the bed.  
He had already changed into his sweat pants and was laying on his side, clutching the extra pillow he had given Luke to use to his chest.

Neither of them spoke of what had happened.

Luke just silently took off his shoes, suit jacket and tie before he climbed on the bed and spooned up behind Reid, putting an arm around his waist. His other found their way to Reid's hair, softly stroking the silky curls.  
Luke could feel Reid relax into the touch once he moved from the back of his head to Reid's temple, softly massaging the tension out of Reid.

"I should never have agreed to come," Reid said at long last

"You did it for Daniel and Isabella, not for your mother," Luke told him

"I wish that was the only reason. But I did come for my mother, I still hope that one day things will be fine between us"

"You can try again in a couple of years"

Reid turned and rested his head on Luke's chest. "I spoiled the party for you. " he said. "Why don't you go back down, I'm sure Miss Holly would love to dance with you again"

"Like I care for dancing," Luke said as he let his hand wander down Reid's spine. "I'd rather be here, comforting you"

He leaned down, kissing the top of Reid's head. Reid lifted his face, and offered his lips.

The kiss was slow and sweet.

"I can't thank you enough for coming here with me. I don't know how I would have survived this wedding without having you here to ground me, to take my mind off the worst," Reid said once they parted and Reid put his head back down on Luke's chest

"Oh, it was nice to see that other families are crazy too," Luke said, slightly smiling down at Reid. "It's always good to be reminded that the Snyder-Walsh-Grimaldi-Clan hasn't the exclusive rights to drama. And on top of that I got to spend more time with you, lean more about Reid, not just Doctor Oliver."

"I'm never going to see you again once we're back in Oakdale, after all you learned, am I?" Reid asked.

"If that was your strategic plan to get me out of your hair once and for all it failed quite spectacularly!" Luke informed Reid who stayed somber. He reached up to cup Luke's cheek and softly rubbed his thumb along Luke's brow.

"If I'd ask you to sleep with me tonight, would you do it?"

Luke considered only for a short eternity. "Yes, I would!"

There was nothing of the lust filled frenzy from the previous night in their movements. Their touches were deliberate but not desperate, their need a slow burn instead of a wild fire, their tongues danced in each others mouth rather than duelled.

Reid surprised Luke when he just handed him the lube before he turned expectantly on his front.

Luke had topped before but only once or twice, and Noah had always made him fight for it, just to put on a big show of drama when they finally got to it, doing his best to suck all joy out the experience for Luke.

Now Luke learned how much easier it was to get a willing partner ready, and there was no question that Reid was willing, panting and pushing his ass back into every touch as he was

"Stop the teasing already, I can take it!" Reid commanded as Luke was lining up his second finger.

"I don't want to hurt you," Luke said shyly.

"The only one that will get hurt is you, if you don't get busy now!" Reid growled. He turned back on his side and threw one leg back over Luke's waist, effectively opening himself up.

Luke gave in, spooned up closer and pushed himself forward.

It was a slow and languid fuck, interrupted every so often for heated kisses, until Reid interlaced their fingers and brought both their hands around his cock.

Luke sped up his thrusts without further encouragement, wanting to bring Reid over the edge with the double onslaught.

Just like the night before Luke was mesmerized by seeing Reid coming undone, but this time it smothered his own need down, so he was still hard and aching once Reid had his senses back.

"Don't worry," Reid muttered between sloppy kisses, "we get to that in a moment!" He dragged Luke over him as he turned back on his front, gripping the pillows for support.

"Fuck me, Luke, fuck me hard and take what you need!"

Luke didn't need to be asked twice. He grabbed for Reid's hips and slammed himself home hard.  
It took a couple of minutes of wild, uncontrolled fucking until Luke came hard, his full weight pressing Reid down.

"I'm sorry!" he finally managed to say. "Didn't want to hurt you"

"Didn't hurt me!" Reid answered back, gasping for air, "but the next time you better take me harder:"

"Aye aye sir!" Luke said, still to breathless for laughing.

***

They went to the airport together with Isabella and Daniel, who were off to the Bahamas just an hour after Luke and Reid's flight back to Oakdale.

While the Oliver brothers got them drinks at an airport coffee-house Isabella took Luke to the side for a moment.

"I haven't gotten you in private until now, but I just had to ask," she started. "Tell me Luke, what are you to Reid? I know I warned him about his mother bringing in all those girls in the hope to change his mind, and he hinted that he would ask someone to accompany him, but I never had the feeling that you were just someone he has paid to come along."

Luke smiled. "Oh, I am not paid company, as I said before. I do work with Reid on his new hospital unit." Luke looked down at the hands in his laps before looking back at Isabella and smiled.  
"He asked me to come as his decoy but in the past few days…" he paused to search for the right words, " …in the past few days the lines between pretending and real attraction became a bit blurry"

"So you think that by the time we invite you for a baby-shower you're gonna be his real boyfriend?"

"I certainly wouldn't mind"

"What have you two been talking about?" Daniel asked as he and Reid came back

"Just about how lucky we are!" Isabella said before she leaned up and kissed her husband

Luke looked at the newlyweds, then at Reid. "You think I could get one of those?" he asked

"Hey, Dan, Luke here wants a kiss too," Reid called out. His brother flipped him the bird without letting Isabella go.

Reid gave a long suffering sigh. "Guess I will have to kiss you myself then, Mr. Snyder"


End file.
